GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MATHEMATICS AS A FUNCTION OF THE SAXON MATH PROGRAM
LISA D. SEVERNS *
Willis Independent School District, John R. Slate and Cynthia Martinez-Garcia, Sam Houston State University, Texas, USA
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Student performance on the Grade 8 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Mathematics test was examined to determine the extent to which differences were present as a function of Saxon Math instruction. Scores for boys (n = 998) and girls (n = 998) who took the TAKS Mathematics assessment in 2007 (n = 527), 2008 (n = 478), 2009 (n = 513), and 2010 (n = 478) were analyzed. Statistically significant differences, albeit small effect sizes, were yielded in the percent of boys and girls who met the TAKS Mathematics Met Standard. The percent of the non-Saxon Math students who achieved Met Standard was statistically significantly lower than the percent of Saxon Math students who achieved Met Standard after receiving one, two, and three years of Saxon Math instruction. The percent of girls who reached Commended Performance in the non-Saxon school year was statistically significantly lower than the percent of girls who received one, two, and three years of Saxon Math instruction. Boys’ Commended Performance status was not influenced by Saxon Math instruction. Implications are discussed and suggestions for further research are made.
Keywords: Commended performance, met standard, Saxon math, gender differences, mathematics instruction